The Boy Who Failed

Chapter 3 - Flesh, Blood and Doubt

O Rose, thou art sick!
The invisible worm
That flies in the night,
In the howling storm,
Has found out thy bed
Of crimson joy,
And his dark secret love
Does thy life destroy.

The Sick Rose by William Blake.

"Professor! Professor!" a redheaded boy called, running from the entrance of the building towards his former teacher.

"What is it Fred?" Remus stood in front of the caretaker's hut.

"I need to talk to you about the project George and I are doing," said the young wizard, nearing Remus.

"Yes, just a moment. I need to retrieve something from Radagast."

"Would helping you would be considered a good thing and you'll like me even more?" asked Fred with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Remus laughed. "Only if it won't be like the last time you and your brother helped me. Filch is still scraping those from the ceiling."

"I won't!" said Fred, as seriously as he could master, raising his right hand. "But you have to admit it was funny."

"Yes it was," Remus laughed again. "All right, come with me."

He opened the door to the hut and stepped in, Fred right behind him. A short man was kneeling beside the fire. He was busy lighting the fire and didn't turn when the two came in.

Remus sat on one of the chairs behind the table and Fred remained standing beside the professor.

"I'm glad you came in," said the man in front of the fire. "I've been having such a problem with those little beggars. I don't quite know what to do." He turned around and saw Fred. "Mr. Weasley! What an honor! You decided to come around as well, visit old Radagast, hey?"

"Yes, Mr. Radagast," nodded Fred, looking at his feet.

"Here to help the professor? That's a good lad!"

Fred nodded again, attempting to hide behind Remus' chair. Radagast was the first human in history to have all the students respectful, yet extremely afraid of him.

Folca Radagast joined the school's faculty after the death of the previous caretaker. He was a mysterious old man, one that befriended no one, but gave of a certain trust. Rumors say that he was once a magical beast hunter, and was the first to capture and keep captive a Quintaped. Other rumors say that he worked for the German Ministry of Magic as a desk clerk. None were ever proved.

"Yes, about the matter at hand, where are these Glumgumbles?" asked Remus.

"Oh yes, yes," Radagatst grinned a toothy smile. "They're right here, wrecking my bee hives."

"They would do that." Remus seemed like he wanted to get out of the hut as quickly as possible. "Just tell me where they are. Mr. Weasley and I will take care of them."

"They're at the back, behind the pumpkin patch. You'll see them zooming around, the little bastards."

"Thank you," the professor stood from his seat. "We'll be going now."

"You're not staying for tea? That's a shame. Well, show yourself out, will you?"

Remus and Fred went out as quickly as possible, letting out a breath they didn't know they were holding. They started walking towards the back of the hut, avoiding the pumpkin patch on the way.

Fred seemed to regain his cheerful self after a while. A big grin spread over his face and glanced sideways at his former teacher.

"That's it," Remus stopped, watching Fred closely. "What is it? What are you up to?"

"Nothing," said Fred, stretching the word and grinning from ear to ear.

Remus' mouth twitched in the corners, but he held the smile back. He shook his head and continued towards the hives, which were now visible.

"So, professor, about our project -"

"Sh!" Remus stopped abruptly and Fred almost collided with him. "Did you hear that?"

Fred strained his ears and listened. "No, I don't hear anything unusual."

"I can smell something," Remus started walking towards the Forest. "It's Sirius. He's nearby."

"What? You can smell him? He doesn't even wear after-shave."

"Something's wrong."

"Oh my God, is this some sort of residual werewolf thing? This is very disturbing."

"I really agree."

They were nearing the Forest in a quick passe, the Glumbumbles long forgotten.

~*~*~*~

"You have got to be kidding me!"

Harry, Ron and Hermione were standing in an alley a few blocks away from Harry's school. Ron was trying to convince Harry that broomsticks were safe and that they really did fly.

"If you don't believe me, I can show you," he tried once again, fighting an impossible battle with Harry's skeptical expression.

"Fine, show me," Harry crossed his arms across his chest.

"Yes, Weasley," smirked Hermione. "Do show us your amazing flying skills."

Ron grabbed one of the brooms lying on the floor and mounted it. "You'll see, there's nothing to be afraid of."

"I'm not afraid," hissed Harry, gritting his teeth.

Ron shrugged and kicked of the ground. He hovered in the air several moments and then started zooming around Harry and Hermione. "See!" he shouted. "It's perfectly safe."

Unfortunately, the alley was very narrow and while Ron yelled his attention slipped and the next thing he knew a wall rose exactly in front of him and -

SPLAT.

Hermione doubled up immediately, laughing uncontrollably. Harry just raised one eyebrow. "Perfectly safe?"

Ron got up from the floor, checked that his broom was intact and looked at Hermione. "If you say one word -" he started.

"Oh, I can't wait to tell the whole Gryffindor tower!" she managed to choke out, still laughing. Ron glared.

Harry, in the meantime, stood a little way away and looked at the second broomstick, which was still lying on the ground. He lifted his head to look at the witch and the wizard who brought him there. They were bickering a few feet left from where he was standing. He grinned, thinking that while he was there he should at least have some fun. He lifted the broom and mounted it quickly and then he kicked into the air.

He had never felt that way in his life. The broomstick obeyed his every move, almost every thought.

That was freedom, soaring through the air, the wind in his hair and the ground far below.

For a moment he considered flying away, but he was smart enough to know that if people saw him flying that thing in the middle of the day he wouldn't get very far.

After several moments of flying in the limited space, which was the alley, he decided it was time to go down. He landed easily next to Ron and Hermione, leaned the broomstick on a wall and prepared to face the two.

He didn't expect what he saw. Both Ron and Hermione were staring at him with their mouths hanging open.

"What? Did I do something wrong?"

Hermione shook her head and turned to Ron. "With all the respect I don't have for you, I'm flying with him."

"Hell, I would fly with him!" answered Ron, still shocked.

"I'm very flattered," said Harry, his eyes glittering with amusement. "But I don't swing that way."

Hermione started giggling to the point where she had to lean on a wall to keep from sinking to the ground. Ron just blushed the color of his hair.

~*~*~*~

They had been walking for the past half an hour and the Forest was pressing them from every side.

Fred was starting to have second thoughts about going in there, especially at night. It might have been fun when he was a child, but, now that he was grown up and a bit smarter, it didn't look so thrilling. "Professor, shouldn't we go back?"

"No, I can still feel something." Remus didn't slow his pace, even as the Forest became darker and darker. "And stop calling me 'professor' all the time."

"What can I say? Old habits die hard. But I promise to try," Fred paused. " Remus."

Remus smiled, but it was ripped from his face as the ground started to rumble.

Remus and Fred shared a dear in the headlight look and jumped behind the nearest tree trunk, which was fortunate since seconds later a pack of giant spiders fled from where they were headed.

A few minutes later, Fred hesitantly stepped from behind the tree. He looked after the spiders and then turned slowly towards Remus. "Generally speaking, when scary things get scared, not good."

Remus shook his head and continued on the road. Fred hurried after him.

"What are you doing? Didn't you see them?"

"Why, Mr. Weasley, I didn't know you were afraid," said Remus with half a smile.

"It's not a question of fear! It's certain death out there and I don't feel like dying right now."

"Whatever it is, we have to stop it. I can probably take it on my own. If you want, you can go."

"You're completely insane!" Fred was staring at Remus with wide eyes, blocking his way. "I'm not leaving you here alone."

"I think you should go," said Remus, after a long while. "This is something I have to do." He pushed past Fred and continued walking deeper into the forest.

Fred watched him for a moment and after finally setting his mind, he joined his professor. "No way I'm leaving you here alone."

Remus nodded and they continued walking in silence.

~*~*~*~

"Welcome to Diagon Alley."

Harry looked around, not much impressed. It was a very narrow street, full of strange shops and weird looking peddlers, not to mention the customers themselves, who looked fairly bizarre. "Looks like our flea-market."

"You're just not used to it," said Ron, beaming proudly. "Once you get a tasteful of our world, you wouldn't want to get anywhere near your regular one."

Harry shrugged, thinking he didn't want to be in his regular world either way.

Hermione, Harry noticed, was walking nervously next to them, watching the passers-by closely.

"What's up with you?" Harry asked finally, finding her behavior very unnerving. "The pointy hats give you the creeps too?"

"Harry!" she scolded, but a smile fought into her face. "I just remembered something. Forget about it."

Harry nodded and turned his head. He found himself standing in front of a big white building, there was a sign above the door, it read "Gringotts"

"Wizarding bank," said Ron smugly. "We have to get your money now, to buy all the things."

"What money?" said Harry, suddenly interested.

"Oh, you'll see," said Ron mysteriously.

"What's wrong with him?" Harry asked Hermione quietly as they walked in.

Hermione shrugged and shook her head. "He's always like that."

"How can you stand him?"

"I don't."

~*~*~*~

Another half an hour of walking and Fred and Remus finally reached what seemed like a clearing in the wood.

"Cautious now, we don't know what's lurking in there," said Remus, getting off the road.

"Oh really?" whispered Fred, following him. "Because I thought we might find a pack of cute small and innocent puppies." Remus didn't even bother to look over his shoulder and glare.

They walked along the edge of the clearing for a few minutes, not daring to get closer than twenty feet away.

"I think we're far enough," said Fred, stopping Remus with a touch to his shoulder. "We should check what's in that clearing." Remus nodded silently.

They didn't move.

"We have to do this." Remus nodded again. "It's for the better good."

"I can't believe you're the one convincing me to go," said Fred looking towards the glade. Both of them smiled nervously.

"Well, here goes."

Remus moved first, careful not to step on anything that might crack or make any other noise. Fred followed him, a little ways away. A few feet from the clearing lay a fallen tree and the two men decided to use it as a vantage point. Hesitantly, they looked ahead.

The glade was completely bare; even grass didn't grow there. Exactly in the center there was a big cauldron and four figures cloaked in black were standing in a perfect square around it. It wasn't clear from where Fred and Remus were watching whether they were chanting or just watching the content of the commotion.

"Whatever it is they're doing, we have to stop it," said Remus quietly, not taking his eyes from the four figures.

"Yes, but until we reach them, they will have enough time to curse us to Mars," reasoned Fred. "I say we get a message to Professor Dumbledore."

"No time. They would be able to finish their spell by the time anyone else gets here. We have to act now."

Fred was about to answer but suddenly the content of the cauldron started to shimmer and send red and blue sparks in every direction. "Let's do it."

Remus nodded and the passed the fallen tree. A moment later and they were at the edge of the glade. Remus stepped forward.

There must have been a protection spell on the clearing, because the moment Remus stepped on its soil the four figures turned in their direction. The cauldron's contents stopped shimmering at once.

There was a stunned silence between the six men, but a moment later, in the blink of an eye, they all reached for their wands.

Fred's last thought was that Angelina would be furious when he won't show up on their date.

~*~*~*~

"Do I have to wear this?"

"Well, we kinda need you not to stand out."

"But it's so uncomfortable and, well... ugly."

"Stop complaining, you look very good in this robe."

"That was very disturbing, Weasley." Ron growled.

"Stop it, Harry," said Hermione, laughing. "We're here."

They stopped in front of a small shop with a sign saying Ollivander's: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. on top. From outside the shop looked dark and deserted. Harry failed to understand why, of all places, they had to go there.

"We're gonna buy you the best wand money can offer," said Ron cheerfully.

"Would you bloody shut up, Weasley," said Hermione, looking fed up. "You know it's not like that. The wand chooses the wizard and not the other way around."

"Whatever," shrugged Ron. "Let's go in, shall we?"

Harry followed Ron into the shop rearranging his robes for the umpteenth time. Hermione walked behind him.

Ollivander's was dusty and packed full with small, thin, long boxes. There was a desk in the far end of the shop and a man, approximately in his thirties, sat behind it. The moment they came in he jumped to his feet.

"Hello! Come in!" he said in such a cheerful voice that Harry thought he hadn't seen a human being for the last month. "So? Who wants to go first?"

Ron and Hermione shoved Harry and he stumbled forward. "Me, I guess," he said.

"Good, good. What's your wand hand?" he asked.

Harry looked at him for a moment. "My right?"

"Raise it, then." The man stepped forward and took a measuring tape out of his pocket. "My father used to do this all the time," he said as way of conversation. "I didn't know why, since it's totally unnecessary, but apparently, the customers like it."

"We're sorry about your father, Mr. Ollivander," said Hermione quietly.

"Oh, that's okay. It's a good thing he taught me everything I needed to know before he died," he said with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

He turned back to Harry and his face froze in shock. "You - you -" he stumbled.

"Please, Mr. Ollivander, calm down!" Hermione seemed to anticipate this and she reached the man before he fell. She assisted him to a near by stool.

"He's - that's -" he continued to stumble, pointing at Harry.

"Yes he is, but please, Mr. Ollivander, you have to calm down. We still have a wand to buy."

This seemed to shake Mr. Ollivander out of his shock and he hurriedly walked to the back of the store.

"What the hell was that about?" asked Harry, bewildered.

"We'll tell you later," said Ron quietly as he watched Mr. Ollivander walk back to the front of his shop.

"My father," said Mr. Ollivander. "Used to keep several wands at the back, considering them extremely strong," his voice was dark and didn't sound as cheerful as before. He seemed almost afraid of Harry. "I think you should try them out."

Harry shrugged and took the piece of wood Mr. Olivander handed him. It was immediately snatched back and he was handed a second wand, and then a third, and a fourth, until he had 'tried' all the wands that Mr. Ollivander had brought.

"Hum... interesting," said Mr. Ollivander with a thoughtful look as he walked over to the shelves. "I didn't expect this."

Harry looked quizzically at Ron and Hermione but they avoided his eyes.

"Let's try this." Harry looked around and found Mr. Ollivander standing right in front of him. "Oak, twelve inches, inflexible, contains the heart string of a dragon."

Harry took the wand in his hand, but it too wasn't fit.

"Very unusual," said Mr. Ollivander and proceeded, as Harry saw it, to give him every single wand his shop had to offer.

"This box has some sort of sign written on it," commented Mr. Olivander as he gave Harry another wand. "I don't know what it means, but why don't you try it anyway."

"Harry reached for it with unmistakable annoyance, but the moment he touched the wand his hand started to tingle with warmth. He lifted his arm above his head and brought it down, ripping through the dusty air. Red and green sparks came from the tip of the wand as he did so.

Mr. Ollivander sighed in relief. "Well, I really didn't expect this, but I must say it's a good choice. Holly, eleven inches, very flexible, contains a single feather of a tail of a phoenix." Harry nodded his head, rather relieved to finally be able to leave that place. "It would be nine gallons, please."

Harry gave him the money, with some assistance from Hermione and Ron, and the three of them stepped out of the shop.

"Are you going to tell me what was that all about?" said Harry, looking at Hermione rather than Ron for an explanation.

"Later," she said and started going towards another shop. Harry got the impression she was embarrassed.

~*~*~*~

"Professor, can I talk with you for a moment?"

"Yes, of course," Albus stopped and waited for Minerva McGonagall to reach him. "What's wrong?"

"It's about Professor Lupin," she said in her usual grave voice. "He didn't come to his class today, and no one can seem to find him."

Albus gave her a sideway glance as they walked towards his office. "But the moon won't be full until next week."

"I know, that's why I approached you," Minerva looked solemn. "I remember Radagast asking him for help with some sort of a problem and the professor had agreed to see to it the same day."

"You think we should go down and visit Folca?"

The two rounded a corner and ran straight into a frantic George Weasley. "Professor! Thank the gods I found you!" he panted. "Have you seen Fred?"

"What happened, Mr. Weasley?" Albus' intense gaze was piercing through George.

"Fred came here yesterday to talk to Prof. Lupin and he never came back. Angelina sent me to ask if he's here or if he left a message."

"He was going to meet Prof. Lupin?" Minerva's voice was anxious.

"Yes," George looked from one teacher to another, starting to get worried. "Is there something wrong with that?"

"Mr. Lupin has been missing since yesterday as well," said Albus. "We were going to talk to Mr. Radagast. Presumably he was the last one to see him."

"You think he might know something about Fred?"

"Why don't you accompany Minerva to Folca's hut. I need to be in my office shortly," said Albus and continued walking in the same direction.

Minerva looked at George for a moment, then turned and strode towards the Entrance Hall, George followed.

They walked in silence until they reached the Groundskeeper's hut, just at the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

Minerva knocked on the wooden door. A moment passed and the door opened. Radagast stood in the doorway, smiling his toothy smile.

"May I help you?" he said. "I'm not used to having so many visitors."

"It's not a social visit," said Minerva, her lips a thin line. "We're here to talk about Prof. Lupin and Mr. Weasley. Have you seen them?"

"Yes, of course," said Radagast, not moving from the doorway. "They came 'round yesterday. Prof. Lupin promised to help me with my hives, or at least that's what he said. Those stupid Glumbumbles are still infesting my hives, bloody insects."

"You've seen Fred and Prof. Lupin together?" George sounded hopeful. "When was it? When did they visit you?"

"That was last night," Radagast waved his hand dismissively. "Said they were going to take care of my hives. Had all the equipment too."

"Didn't they take care of it?" George's hope was running thin.

"No!" The groundskeeper looked very annoyed from all the questioning and George was losing his courage. "I have things to do, so if you please." Radagast slammed the door shut.

"That went well," commented George.

Minerva gave him one of her stern looks, turned around and started walking back to the castle.

"That's it?" said George impatiently as he caught up with Minerva. "You're going to leave it like that?"

"Of course not," said Minerva. "Now we know that Fred and Remus were together. That's one tracking charm less to put out."

George nodded and sighed. "At least it means they're stronger that way. You know what they say, two wands are better than one."

Minerva gave him a rare sympathetic smile. "Why don't you fly home?" We'll owl you if we find anything."

George nodded. "You're right. But I should walk some, I think."

They parted. George, after summoning back his broom, walked to the gates, and Minerva continued towards the castle.

It didn't take George long to reach the gate. His heart was a little lighter thinking that Hogwarts was the safest place in the world and nothing could happen to Fred as long as he was on the grounds, which he had no reason to leave. It was only a matter of time until someone found them.

He was a mere sixty feet away from the gate when he saw something lying in the snow just before the gate.

"Oh dear God!"

~*~*~*~

"Are we done yet?" asked Harry when the three of them went out from another shop. It appeared to Harry that they visited all of the shops the place could offer, and had enough bags to prove it. He was feeling irritated and tired, but not tired enough to actually want to go back. "I'm starving."

"Lucky for you," commented Ron. "We're going to the Leaky Cauldron. We'll eat there, and probably stay for the night."

"It's this way," said Hermione and started walking swiftly. She was the only one between the three of them who wasn't loaded with packages since she was carrying a big empty trunk.

A moment later they stopped, and Ron announced, "We're here."

Harry looked from Ron, to Hermione, to the wall in front of him and back to Ron. "Are you sure you don't need to be hospitalized? It's a brick wall."

Hermione smiled, turned and tapped the wall with her wand. The brick she tapped disappeared and so all the ones around it, until they formed a great arch even a giant could walk through.

"So, this world saving business, you really are serious, aren't you," said Harry, tearing his eyes from the hole in the wall.

"Don't joke about that," said Hermione, glaring and walked out of Diagon Alley. Ron shrugged and followed her, and Harry, not wanting to appear afraid, went after them as well. They were in the back yard of an inn of some sort.

"Listen up," said Hermione, business like. "We have reservations and Tom told me he would arrange a private room for us. Try to walk straight to it and avoid the other customers."

"Sounds like a Scotland Yard operation to me," said Harry, amused. "Can we kidnap someone too?"

Hermione groaned and Ron rolled his eyes. "Come on! Didn't you say you were hungry?"

"Fine. I'll shut up," said Harry lifting his arms in defeat.

The three walked to the only door, opened it and went through.

At first no one noticed them. The rather large room was packed full with wizards and members of other species Harry never knew really existed. He heard Hermione sigh in relief.

They started to walk through the room and everything was going according to Hermione's little plan, until Harry bumped into someone.

Harry turned around to see who he had bumped into and to make sure they were all right. The woman on the floor stared at him and yelped.

"Doris, are you okay?" asked a man who was standing to her right. He knelt next to her and looked up at Harry. His eyes grew wide and he stumbled backwards a few feet. "You're - you're The Boy Who Failed!" he cried.

The room became very quiet, suddenly. All eyes were on Harry and he felt trapped. Then, just as suddenly, the place was buzzing with conversations once again, but people still glanced at Harry with anger from time to time.

Hermione grabbed Harry's wrist and dragged him across and out of the room. She continued to drag him down a narrow corridor until they reached a half open door. They entered and found Ron already waiting for them.

The room was lit with a merry fire. Three chairs, one of which was occupied by Ron, were standing around a table set with food in front of the fire.

Harry took the chair closest to the burning flames and turned to the other two, his face half covered with shadows. "What the hell was that?"

Hermione sighed and Ron looked away. "We need to tell you something."

"Well, out with it," snapped Harry, looking dangerous.

An awkward silence stretched between them. Harry found himself surprisingly calm and he imagined it would be very unnerving for the other two. But he was beginning to be very, very annoyed. "That man called me -"

"The Boy Who Failed," completed Ron, sadly.

"Why?" demanded Harry.

"Well," ventured Hermione, still not looking at him. "The official name is The Boy Who Failed to Show Up and Save Us from the Dark Side, but people are lazy."

"Oh isn't this fun," said Harry, full of venom. "I'm here to save a world that hates me."

"But you won't back off, will you?" said Ron geniunely worried.

"No, Weasley," spat Harry. "I'm a man of my word. But thanks anyway." Ron immediately shrunk back.

"Harry, please," tried Hermione, but his glare shut her up too.

Nobody touched the food and the room was painfully quiet.

An hour had passed and a man entered the room, gesturing for the to follow him, as they did.

It was hours before any of them fell asleep.

~*~*~*~

The morning after, they ate their breakfast quietly in the same room as before.

They took a cab to King's Cross and Harry thought that nothing could surprise him anymore as he walked through the barrier and into Platform 9 and three quarters.

The train was mainly deserted and after they put Harry's now full trunk in the baggage compartment, they had no problem in finding an empty compartment for themselves.

Five minutes into the ride, Hermione lifted her head. "I just wanted you to know that I sent an owl to Hogwarts saying we're coming."

"You sent an owl?" said Harry, raising an eyebrow. "What happened? Ran out of talking parrots?"

Hermione giggled. "No, that's our postal service."

"You attach a message to an owl's leg and they fly to find and deliver your message to whoever you need," said Rom, trying to help.

"They're much smarter than muggles think," added Hermione.

"And 'muggles' are?" asked Harry bewildered.

"Wizards call the people who can't do magic 'muggles'" said Ron helpfully.

"Are there any more expressions I need to know?" asked Harry genuinely curious.

"Of course," said Hermione.

They spent the rest of the train ride chatting about the wizarding world.

When the train came to a final stop, Harry felt regret about having to leave. He didn't want the stress and the responsibility, which awaited him outside. He much preferred to stay right there and continue talking to Ron and Hermione who he was beginning to actually like. The Dursleys never even crossed his mind.

The three came off the train, still chatting aimlessly, when someone screamed. "Ron!"

Ron span around and Harry only registered that it was a girl with hair as red as a fire that collapsed into Ron.

"Ron! Oh, Ron!" the girl sobbed into his shoulder.

~*~*~*~